A Long Walk to Work
I live less than three minutes away from the clinic in village, and yet, I have never found myself there in three minutes. Walking the 50 or so feet to the clinic usually takes about 10 minutes. It’s not because the path I take there isn’t straightforward or is terribly arduous, but rather, my time on each walk is filled with greeting each and every person I pass on my way. Something I learned quickly, and quite forcefully, is the power of salutations in Togo. What should be my three-minute walk is tripled in time because I have learned that salutations are a necessity and not just a nicety. When I say salutation, I do not mean a simple, “Bonjour, comment ça va?” [Good morning, how are you?] If only it was that easy, and if only it was in French too. The greeting I’m expected to rehearse on my walk to the clinic, when I see my neighbors, on my walk to market, before I buy my toilet paper, and when I pass by anyone, is much more complex and is done completely in the local language...